Surf-A-Thon Dog Surfing Competition

The eighth annual
Surf-A-Thon dog-surfing competition brought a few hundred dogs and their
proud owners to Dog Beach in Del Mar in the annual competition to raise
funds for the Helen Woodward Animal Center. This event brings in thousands
of dollars for the center's education and adoption programs, also puts the
North County coastline in the spotlight. The surfing community has been
supporting this event for years.

Dozer is named top surfer
The competition, the largest in the United States, met on Sunday more than 80
dogs, divided into weight categories (small, medium, large, extra large). Dogs
compete in fifteen minute sessions where they are surfing over the waves as
possible to show the judges their ability to stay on board to catch a wave, and
have fun.

The winner of each category qualified for the finals, where the top three dogs
surfers are rewarded. Last year, Ricochet won the final, but this year it's
Dozer who won the title of "Top Dog Surf 2013", followed on the second step of
the podium by Abbie, and the third Kiwi .

Ricochet - Surfing Dog - Helps Disabled Surfers
You've got to love a dog like Ricochet. Down near San Diego Ricochet, a
3-year-old golden retriever is helping to teach disabled people how to surf.
Some say she's kind of like a canine co-pilot. "She stabilizes the board," said
Sabine Becker, who was born with no arms. "Somehow, she does it so we're not off
balance. She is just standing there and just surfs with us." "Ricochet has
raised more than $100,000 for different charities on her Facebook page and her
videos have gone viral, garnering more than 3 million views." " She's also a
finalist for the annual "Hero Dog Award" from the American Humane Association,
where she is up against a guide dog and even a military dog, all amazing
animals. And while they all might rate a 10, only Ricochet can hang ten."